Dish in Focus: New Zealand coastal lamb rack and lamb fillet Wellington at Omaroo Grill
Although the exact origin of the beef Wellington isn't known, most diners can agree that few things beat a succulent cut of meat wrapped in flaky puff pastry. Traditionally, a centre-cut beef tenderloin lies at the heart of the time-consuming dish, surrounded by a paste of minced mushrooms – or duxelles – which is why Terrace Chow's New Zealand lamb version caught our eye.
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Part of the Wooloomooloo group, H Queen's newest restaurant, Omaroo Grill seeks to reimagine the traditional steakhouse by blending heritage with bold new ideas.
Chef Terrace Chow at Omaroo Grill. Photo: Handout
While there's also a traditional beef Wellington on the menu, Omaroo Grill's lamb version is accompanied by two lamb racks crusted in breadcrumbs, rosemary, thyme, garlic and olive oil. A rosemary red wine sauce, which accompanies the meat, uses trimmings of whole lamb, aromatics and red wine, simmered to a rich consistency.
Omaroo New Zealand coastal lamb rack and lamb fillet Wellington. Photo: Handout
With just 10 portions served daily, the signature has been labelled the 'go-to Wellington' by fans of the restaurant. 'After trying it, they were really impressed – not just by the size of the dish, but by how well the flavours worked,' says Chow. '[Hearing this] was such a nice moment because it showed how our twist on a classic could really resonate with someone.'
Ensuring the lamb fillet's flavours stay intact, Chow prepares a mushroom duxelles – mushrooms, shallots, garlic, Madeira wine and herbs, which are sautéed, reduced and cooled – to coat the meat. Then, the fillet is wrapped in spinach before adding a 'home-made crepe layer', a chicken liver pâté and the home-made puff pastry.
'To create a unique dish, we replaced the traditional duxelles with layers of rich chicken mousse, sweet pea purée, and tangy sheep milk cheese.
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'While traditional beef Wellington typically includes beef liver pâté, I opted for chicken liver pâté because it complements the milder flavour of lamb better than beef pâté would,' Chow explains.
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Dish in Focus: New Zealand coastal lamb rack and lamb fillet Wellington at Omaroo Grill
Although the exact origin of the beef Wellington isn't known, most diners can agree that few things beat a succulent cut of meat wrapped in flaky puff pastry. Traditionally, a centre-cut beef tenderloin lies at the heart of the time-consuming dish, surrounded by a paste of minced mushrooms – or duxelles – which is why Terrace Chow's New Zealand lamb version caught our eye. Advertisement Part of the Wooloomooloo group, H Queen's newest restaurant, Omaroo Grill seeks to reimagine the traditional steakhouse by blending heritage with bold new ideas. Chef Terrace Chow at Omaroo Grill. Photo: Handout While there's also a traditional beef Wellington on the menu, Omaroo Grill's lamb version is accompanied by two lamb racks crusted in breadcrumbs, rosemary, thyme, garlic and olive oil. A rosemary red wine sauce, which accompanies the meat, uses trimmings of whole lamb, aromatics and red wine, simmered to a rich consistency. Omaroo New Zealand coastal lamb rack and lamb fillet Wellington. Photo: Handout With just 10 portions served daily, the signature has been labelled the 'go-to Wellington' by fans of the restaurant. 'After trying it, they were really impressed – not just by the size of the dish, but by how well the flavours worked,' says Chow. '[Hearing this] was such a nice moment because it showed how our twist on a classic could really resonate with someone.' Ensuring the lamb fillet's flavours stay intact, Chow prepares a mushroom duxelles – mushrooms, shallots, garlic, Madeira wine and herbs, which are sautéed, reduced and cooled – to coat the meat. Then, the fillet is wrapped in spinach before adding a 'home-made crepe layer', a chicken liver pâté and the home-made puff pastry. 'To create a unique dish, we replaced the traditional duxelles with layers of rich chicken mousse, sweet pea purée, and tangy sheep milk cheese. Advertisement 'While traditional beef Wellington typically includes beef liver pâté, I opted for chicken liver pâté because it complements the milder flavour of lamb better than beef pâté would,' Chow explains.
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